Dairy Goddess – “What Makes Your Milk So Special?”

Well, our busy season is upon us. Many of our seasonal markets are well on their way. I am also getting the opportunity to speak with the many store managers regarding my dairy and our products. As always we love to share our products and get to know our customers. We always are happy to receive and answer lots of questions regarding our farmstead cheese and milk.

One of my favorites is “WHAT MAKES YOUR MILK SO SPECIAL???” (I want to joke and say DUUUUHHH a “Dairy Goddess made it”…LOL)

Well, the truth is my milk is special and different from most milks on the market. Not only is it because of our beautiful cows that God entrusted with us. Nor the fact that they are monitored around the clock to make sure they are happy and receiving the freshest most nutritious diet, along clean fresh water.

The main difference in our milk is the way we process it and I am happy to share that with you!

Dairy Goddess milk is non-homogenized, which means the butterfat molecules in our milk are left in their natural state. These relatively large milk-fat globules bind with nutrients (like vitamins A & D) found in the liquid portion of milk. The nutrient-carrying globules travel to the stomach and gut where they release the nutrients for use by the body. Milk fat, in it’s natural state, easily makes its way through the entire human digestive tract.

Homogenized milk molecules on the other hand, are unnaturally small and misshapen. They haphazardly attach to nutrients, but unfortunately, pass out of the digestive tract and directly into the blood stream before the nutrients can be digested.

Further, the destruction of milk-fat globules can lead to hardening of the arteries. While this is contrary to popular belief, some noted researchers and medical experts believe this to be the case. Robert Cohen, Executive Director of the Dairy Education Board, wrote in his article “Homogenized Milk: Rocket Fuel for Cancer,” in 2007, that the smaller, disfigured milk-fat globules produced during homogenization act like capsules for substances that bypass digestion. Not only are important nutrients lost into the blood stream, but hormones and pesticides used to treat cows and their feed, make their way to the human blood stream as well.

Thomas E. Levy, M.D., further argues in his book on nutrition, that some enzymes are absorbed into the blood stream as well. One particular enzyme, xanthine oxidase (XO), reaches the bloodstream where it replaces a substance called plasmalogen in the arteries, and directly promotes hardening of the artery walls.

But perhaps the most burning question is, “What danger do I risk if I drink Non-Homogenized Milk.” The answer is “none.” That’s right, homogenization has no known health benefits. Nor is it required by law. Milk is homogenized simply to give it a balanced consistency – more pleasing to the eye and no need to shake it. Milk in its natural state has a cream layer that floats on top of the liquid portion of the milk. Anyone who grew up on a farm, or before homogenization was common, will tell you that the cream is the most desirable part! And, as you are now aware, the cream also carries huge health benefits.

Dairy Goddess is one of two dairies in California to use a low-temperature vat pasteurization method. This ensures our milk retains a majority of its enzymes, which are crucial for proper digestionand good health. Dairy Goddess is the only dairy processing a Cream Top Chocolate Milk with vat pasteurization in the state!

Pasteurization of commercially-sold milk is required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ensure that harmful bacteria in milk is eliminated. Standard pasteurization methods utilize high-heat, high-volume methods that unfortunately kill beneficial enzymes as well as bacteria. Some milk is even ultra-pasteurized to the point that it can be stored without being refrigerated. Some in the dairy and health industries refer to ultra-pasteurized milk as “dead milk” because everything — harmful and beneficial – have been killed.

Dairy Goddesses low-temperature vat pasteurization method allows us to heat our milk at a lower temperature for a longer period of time, eliminating harmful micro-organisms but leaving valuable enzymes untouched.

During our pasteurization process, milk is divided into small batches and processed in our vat. The milk is heated in the vat to a temperature of 145o F (63o C). (The chocolate milk is heated to 150F) It is held at this constant temperature for 30-minutes. The milk is then cooled in a ‘plate cooler’. It is run quickly through small stainless steel tubing that is surrounded by cold water. The milk is cooled quickly and put directly in our cooler and ready to be delivered, fresh to you!

So that’s it…less processed. More natural. The way things are supposed to be. We have been so geared to processing and long shelf life’s we don’t realize what value to us, nutritionally, we are giving up. Get back to basics…You will love the taste and your tummy will too!

3 Responses

Outstanding article, Barbara! Thank you. Can I present this piece on our blog? Do you have a high-res/artsy image of your farm/milk products/processing equipment to go with it? Please advise, and hi to Tony!